The best math apps for kids: Back to School Tech Guide 2013

We’re pretty diligent around here about making sure our kids understand math concepts, and math apps can be a helpful and even fun way to get them excited about it. Year after year, math just keeps building on itself, so it’s super important for students to feel comfortable before they move on. So we’ve gathered the best math apps for kids from preschool on up, to help kids grasp those skills and practice them on the most exciting platforms.

Basic arithmetic is integrated with Bingo, plus you can earn bonus points for speed and accuracy. It’s best suited to kids who want to practice what they’ve already learned, but also good for younger kids who don’t discourage easily.

Lakeshore Learning is a tried-and-true educational resource, and this app from them lets kids practice skills in a game show format that they’ll love. The optional timer feature can help them improve computational speed when they’re ready for that aspect.

This is another favorite app of ours with multiple accounts, customizable skill levels, and a cool backstory that’s engaging for kids from kindergarten to middle school. Use increasingly advanced math skills to capture villains, and turn on the timer for extra pressure.

This Android app includes basic drills at varying levels of difficulty, plus a bubble game to keep the learning light and fun. It’s especially good for tracking “high scores” whether in game mode or in drills, so that kids can see their improvement. That’s always a great motivator.

Think of this fun math game like Tetris with math. It requires players to drop numbers and operators in logical places–or swap them around–until the board is full. Great for improving computational speed and learning to plan logical sequences.

This app presents algebra as the puzzle game it truly is, with step-by-step introductions of algebraic concepts through 200 puzzles. While it’s rated for kids as young as five, we recommend it for kids who are already comfortable with basic arithmetic at minimum.

For kids who are learning pre-algebra or algebra but could use a little extra instruction at their own pace, this app can be a great fit. There’s no fancy graphics or fun games though, just a simple, intuitive tool to help kids gain confidence in their understanding of concepts that some of their parents may have forgotten.